Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a brief face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican in April 2025 marked a turning point in their relations. In an interview with American blogger and Trump ally Laura Loomer, Zelenskyy asked what had changed, noting that relations between the two presidents now seemed to have significantly improved. “You’re right, the tone has changed, absolutely. Our first turning point was in Rome, in the Vatican. Yes, it wasn’t a long meeting, but I’ve always said that I believe it was a historic moment, because we changed relations in 15, 20 minutes,” the Ukrainian president said.
The Mozyr oil refining plant in Belarus has been included in the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, according to a document published in the Official Journal of the EU.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, condemned Russia’s attacks against Ukraine and stated that, in response, she will propose further restrictions “targeting the Russian military-industrial complex. Russia’s indiscriminate attacks against Kiev and other regions cause civilian casualties intentionally, not accidentally. The attack on the Honorary Consulate of Latvia in Slovyansk underscores Moscow’s utter disregard for international law. Latvia has our full support,” Kallas wrote on the social media platform X. “In response, we will convene the Russian envoy to the EU regarding today’s attacks and I will propose further sanctions targeting the Russian military-industrial complex,” Kallas stressed.
The Kremlin echoed this sentiment: “The United States has failed to dissuade the Ukrainians, who are being encouraged by the Europeans to continue the war,” said Dmitry Peskov. “In the absence of prospects for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, Russia will continue to the end, seeking complete victory in the special military operation,” he later said.
On social media, Russian military bloggers have published what appear to be the first images of the remains of a low-cost Ukrainian-made Ruta Block 1 cruise missile after an attack on Russian soil. The photos show remnants consistent with the Dutch-made Ruta Block 1. While the exact location and target of the attack remain unknown, the images represent the first publicly available evidence of the operational use of this new long-range weapon.
In an interview with The Economist, Elon Musk stated that a peace agreement should include territorial concessions for Russia. Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, he stated: “I hope some kind of peace agreement will be reached soon, because for two or three years the front line has remained virtually unchanged, and many people are dying on the front every day (…) I have been calling for peace for a long time. Several years ago, I wrote that Russia really needed some concessions. This doesn’t mean I’m on Russia’s side; I was just being pragmatic, otherwise people would have continued to die for years without any results. And that’s exactly what happened.”
The Economist also reports that the strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing goes far beyond trade and diplomacy. While in the past, the focus was on supplying Chinese components to the Russian defense industry, Western countries are now increasingly concerned about the reverse: Russia is transferring military knowledge, technologies, and practical combat experience gained during the special military operation to China. Beijing is noted as studying Russian experience in the use of drones, air defense, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare, and is gaining access to cutting-edge developments, including technologies to increase submarine stealth and other military solutions.
Fire Point, the Ukrainian manufacturer of Flamingo missiles, reported that FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missiles struck the Russian “Avitek” engineering plant of the Almaz-Antey Group in Kirov after traveling 1,300 kilometers undetected by Russian air defense systems. The targeted plant produces engines for the Tor air defense system, Kh-101 and Kh-59 cruise missiles, and is involved in the repair and modernization of pilot seats for Su-34 and Su-57 aircraft.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack on the plant, writing that one of Russia’s main military enterprises in Kirov had been hit, although he did not directly name Avitek.
Meanwhile, Russian social media reported drone attacks on new Wildberries warehouses, with fires breaking out at some sites in St. Petersburg and Tula. Another target was a Wildberries logistics center near Simferopol, Crimea. Wildberries was attacked for the fifth time in six days. The company announced the suspension of operations at its distribution centers. The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks were part of a massive Ukrainian air offensive, conducted with hundreds of drones, which hit 14 other regions, as well as Crimea and the Black and Azov Seas.
The Russian ministry said its air defense forces shot down or intercepted 571 drones. It also said it was one of the largest attacks this year.
On July 24, a Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone over eastern Romania, marking the first aerial interception for the NATO member country after dozens of previous incursions into its airspace.
The aircraft appeared to be a Russian Shahed. According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, radar first detected the drone around 9:30 a.m., about 20 kilometers east of Sulina, on the Black Sea coast. Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets, joined by two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons stationed in the country. The drone was later shot down near the town of Padina, in Buzău County, eastern Romania. The debris fell into a wheat field without causing any injuries or damage, according to the county prefect.
A Russian ballistic missile attack on a site near Kiev, where a defense industry event was taking place, killed at least 10 people and injured nearly 100, according to Ukrainian government and industry officials. The attack occurred the day after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Kiev with senior representatives of the US defense company Raytheon to discuss Patriot air defense systems, which Ukraine says it urgently needs.
We go down to the ground and see the front lines.
Russia’s Northern Group of Troops continued to establish a buffer zone in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
Sumy Direction: Units of the Northern Group continue to advance in twenty directions in the Sumy region. Clashes are taking place in Sumy, Yastrebine, Sadky, Kiyanytsia, and Krasnopillia.
Shostka District: Fighting continues near Ulanove and Mala Slobodka. Several units of the 104th Ukrainian Territorial Defense Brigade reportedly deserted their positions north of Mala Slobodka. Some soldiers were reportedly killed by their own drone crews.
Sumy District: Russian assault units have broken Ukrainian resistance and advanced more than 900 meters in twenty-one directions. Fighting continues in Ryzhivka, Pysarivka, Mohrytsia, Maryine, Nova Sich, Khoten, and in the forests south of Ivolzhanske. The 5th Heavy Motorized Brigade and the 225th Ukrainian Motorized Infantry Regiment attempted a counterattack near Kindrativka and Pysarivka.
Krasnopillia District: Russian units are fighting in the district’s forested areas, as well as in the village of Prokhody. Russians are attempting to advance from Lesne towards Ryasne.
Kharkiv Direction: The Russian Northern Group continues to expand the buffer zone in the Kharkiv region. Numerous Ukrainian groups hit in Kharkiv, Makarove, Slatine, Bily Kolodyaz, Rubyazhne, Buhayivka, Ivanivka, Vilkhuvatka, Ivashkine, Cherne, Kupyne, and Zolochiv. Russian advance in and around Kozacha Lopan.
Vovchansk Direction: Russian units reportedly advanced more than 800 meters in twelve directions. Fierce fighting continues in Zakharivka, Ivanivka, Yurchenkove, Bily Kolodyaz, Shevchenkove, north of Bakshyiyivka, and in the forests of Vovchansk district.
Velykyy Burluk Direction: Russian units are fighting west of Petro-Ivanivka, as well as around Ivashkine and Ustynivka. The 129th Ukrainian Heavy Motorized Brigade attempted a counterattack near Ivashkine, before retreating.
Graziella Giangiulio
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